GARY HEATLY

Scotland skipper Kyle Coetzer hit a century, but his side lost the second World Cricket League encounter with Namibia in the Capital yesterday.

The Scots had won the first match between the sides at Portgower Place which had started on Sunday and ended on Monday, but in this clash in Stockbridge an attacking batting display helped Namibia to win by 50 runs.

Coetzer said: “I thought that Namibia batted really well early on and that put us on the back foot.

“We tried to claw things back, but we thought the total they scored was perhaps 40 runs or so more than we would have hoped.

“With the bat we were always just behind the run rate and had to try and force things, but we are excited ahead of the upcoming Zimbabwe games.”

Namibia got off to a cracking start, openers Stephan Baard and Zane Green getting into the groove early.

Baard in particularly was timing the ball very well and he reached his 50 in just the 11th over.

When he was out in the 19th over, caught behind by wicketkeeper Matt Cross off the bowling of Safyaan Sharif, he had plundered 78 from 53 balls including 12 fours.

That set his team up nicely and by the 25th over they were on 150-1 and very well placed to go on and put a big total on the board.

Heriot’s spinner Mark Watt then gave Scotland a boost by taking two wickets in quick succession.

Bowling from the pavilion end he got Green out LBW for a well made 61 and the bowled Gerhard Erasmus for 27.

That left Namibia on 188-3 in the 31st over.

Jan Frylinck and Craig Williams then came together and put together a neat 50 partnership to put Namibia on 238-3 after 40 overs.